


X's and O's

by KaytheJay



Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Domestic Violence, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25244485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaytheJay/pseuds/KaytheJay
Summary: Crowley is in an abusive relationship and Aziraphale reevaluated his own feelings towards the demon.
Relationships: Crowley (Good Omens) & Original Demon Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	X's and O's

**Author's Note:**

> This is based vaguely on an idea that my beautifully amazing girlfriend requested so here's this.

Crowley was late. Again. Aziraphale stared anxiously at his watch. Crowley had made a habit of being late to their meetings ever since he got with the demon Tolgul. Aziraphale was perfectly supportive of this relationship. It was making Crowley happy, so that’s all that mattered.

“An hour?” Aziraphale shook his head. “He’s never  _ this _ late. I wonder what’s holding him up.” As soon as he said it, he spotted Crowley. There was something . . . different. As he got closer, Aziraphale realized that Crowley was sporting a big black eye and clothes that had been clawed to shreds. “Crowley! What on Earth happened?” Crowley lazily smiled.

“Tolgul claimed me,” he replied. Aziraphale reached up to touch Crowley’s face. Crowley flinched away. 

“What in Satan’s Hell do you mean he  _ claimed _ you? This looks like he just beat you up.” 

“Because that’s what he did,” Crowley said matter of factly. “That’s what it means.” Aziraphale shook his head. 

“Come to the back so I can get this mess sorted,” Aziraphale said. He miracled an ice pack and pressed it against Crowley’s eye. “He should  _ not _ be beating you up.” Crowley rolled his eyes. 

“As if you have room to talk with how you let Heaven treat you.” Aziraphale huffed. 

“Archangels are different from romantic partners,” Aziraphale said. “A love interest should not put a since finger against you.” 

“You worry too much.”

They reached the backroom of the bookshop and Aziraphale closed the door behind them. He didn’t bother with getting Crowley’s consent to treat him because Aziraphale knew that Crowley was more stubborn than a child who’d been told no. He simply ripped Crowley’s shirt off to get a better view of just how badly Crowley had been hurt when Tolgul had clawed at him. He sighed and pulled his healing kit out (it wasn’t a first aid kit, it was basically a hospital in a bag). 

“This is not ok,” Aziraphale said even though he knew that Crowley wasn’t paying any attention to his opinion on the situation anymore. He dug through his bag to find something to clean the cuts with. 

“About the Antichrist-”

“How can you think of such things right now!” Aziraphale exclaimed. He found the ointment that he’d been looking for and put it on the cuts. Crowley flinched.

“Can’t you just take demon tradition for what it is?” Crowley asked. 

“It is hurting you, so absolutely not.” He went back to the bag. “This is bad enough that you need stitches.  _ Stitches _ Crowley.” 

“Demons hurt each other all the time, angel. It is part of the gig.” 

“I don’t care about the ‘gig.’ I care about  _ you _ .” Aziraphale found his pouch of sterilized needles and surgical thread. He attempted to thread the needle. “This should  _ not  _ be happening.” 

“Saying it over and over isn’t going to change my mind,” Crowley pointed out. 

The meeting that was supposed to happen didn’t end up happening. Aziraphale was too busy fussing over Crowley’s injuries to listen to Crowley trying to get the meeting back on track. Eventually, Crowley gave up and left. 

Did Aziraphale think that he was incapable of making his own choices? How unfair of him! Aziraphale wasn’t even able to bend his assignments even just a little to make them easier. Talk about making choices!

And sure.  _ Maybe _ getting beat up didn’t look ideal. Tolgul had gotten him pretty bad. That’s just how it was in Hell though. One demon showed ownership over another by giving them unique scars. Scars that Aziraphale had ruined by stitching him up. Sure there would still be scars, but they wouldn’t be the scars that Tolgul had intended. 

Tolgul had a number of other qualities anyway that made Crowley want him. He was smart for one thing. That was rare in Hell. Most of the time he felt like he was dealing with toddlers when he had other demons around. Tolgul had spent nearly as much time on Earth as Crowley had. Besides, the other demon always put thought into everything that he did for Crowley. Tolgul was the first demon to genuinely  _ care _ about Crowley. He couldn’t let that go unnoticed. 

***

“Do you not appreciate me?” Tolgul asked as soon as Crowley walked in.

“Of course I do, my love,” Crowley said quickly. “What would make you think that I don’t?” Tolgul could only stare at Crowley. Why would he  _ think  _ Crowley didn’t appreciate him. It was quite obvious. 

“Your clothes! Your ey!” Tolgul shook his head. “You’ve fixed yourself! Are you  _ ashamed _ of me?” “No, no, that’s not it at all,” Crowley said, suddenly realizing that Aziraphale had gotten him into trouble. “It’s just the angel-” Crowley cut himself off. He didn’t even have to look at Tolgul.

He had fucked up. 

“What angel?” Tolgul demanded.

“There’s no angel,” Crowley tried to act cool about it while he mentally scrambled for an excuse. “You see in human terms-” Crowley was cut off by being punched in the face. Crowley felt the sharp stab as the sharp rings that Tolgul wore cut into his cheek. He reached up to his cheek. Unsurprisingly, he was bleeding. 

“What angel?” Tolgul asked with more force behind his voice. He grabbed Crowley’s collar and gave himself a few more inches. 

“If you would let me explain-” Tolgul kicked Crowley’s legs out from under him. This caused Crowley to hit his head on the table as he fell. He ran his fingers over the spot. There would most certainly be a bump there tomorrow. Tolgul smashed a chair over the table. 

“What angel are you having relations with?” Tolgul demanded through gritted teeth. 

“None,” Crowley said. Tolgul kicked Crowley in the head hard enough to knock him out. It probably would have killed a human. 

***

“I do  _ not  _ have feelings for Crowley,” Aziraphale said. He was pacing through the bookshop. “It is quite normal to care about your friends like that. No one wants their friends in dangerous situations.” What wasn’t normal was the strong feeling of  _ envy _ in the pit of his stomach. Envy towards Tolgul. Tolgul had something that Aziraphale couldn’t. Tolgul had Crowley’s heart. 

“I don’t love Crowley!” Aziraphale exclaimed though no one was listening. “We’re hereditary enemies. He’s a  _ demon _ . I am an  _ angel _ . It just doesn’t happen.” He shook his head. 

He had gone 6,000 years of having Crowley in his life just to fall in love with him. They were on opposite sides! This was absolutely ridiculous. He had better things to do than worry about falling in love. With a demon, nonetheless.

He couldn’t help but think of the day he met Crowley way back in the Garden of Eden. How glorious his hair had looked that day, like fire right on top of his head. How beautiful his eyes were, how beautiful they always were. 

How they’d come to the Arrangement once they realized that constantly working against each other wasn’t doing anything productive. The absolute thrill ride that his first temptation had been. 

How through everything they had been through, they still had each other. No one else was important when they were together. They were an unstoppable dup that could move Earth itself if they had to. Oh fuck. 

He might be a little bit in love with Crowley. 

***

“Oh love! You’re finally awake!” Tolgul cooed as soon as Crowley opened his eyes. Tolgul placed a kiss on Crowley’s forehead. Crowley’s head was pounding and could for the life of him recall why. 

“Yes, yes,” Crowley said. “Awake. Yes.” Tolgul wrapped his arms around Crowley. 

“I love you,” Tolgul said. Crowley blinked to try and wash the fogginess of his head away. 

“What happened?” Crowley asked. 

“Oh nothing, my sweet,” Tolgul said. “You got back from your meeting with Aziraphale and were so exhausted you fell asleep.” Something about the statement didn’t seem right, but Crowley couldn’t for the life of him figure out what. 

“My head is pounding,” Crowley groaned. “Did we get drunk and forget to sober up?” 

“No, sweetness, we didn’t. And you seemed fine when you fell asleep. Is there something I can do to help you?” Crowley rubbed his temples and shook his head. 

“No, I just- wait did you say Aziraphale?” 

“Yes, my sweet,” Tolgul said. “You had a meeting with the Principality Aziraphale in his bookshop.” That’s what was wrong with his earlier statement. Tolgul should  _ not _ know about Aziraphale. As if reading his thoughts, Tolgul said, “You told me about him. I think it is very brave, what you’re doing. Working with an angel to save the world. Would be a shame if someone were to . . . report the two of you.” Tolgul got an evil glint in his eye. “I mean, technically I should. Meeting with angels is strictly forbidden.” Tolgul shrugged. “I’m not going to.” Tolgul made eye contact with Crowley.”But I could.” 

The last part was said as if it was a threat.

***

Aziraphale was stuck in a loop of he should tell Crowley how he felt because mauve Crowley would leave the abusive Tolgul for him and he should not tell Crowley because Crowley was more than old enough to make his own choices. Tolgul was his choice. Not a good one, in Aziraphale’s opinion, but Crowley’s choice nonetheless.

Aziraphale knew that he was better suited for Crowley on every level. He would never beat Crowley for one thing. He had no reason to prove dominance over him as it seemed demons needed to. There was no reason to have dominance in a relationship anyway. 

Aziraphale looked over and saw that Nanny Ashtoreth as not paying much attention to Warlock. Warlock was ten now. There was no reason to have such a strict eye on him. Even if Mrs. Dowling wished it. Aziraphale took a deep breath. It was now or never. 

“Miss Ashtoreth!” Brother Francis called across the yard. “May I have a word with you?” The nanny looked over to Warlock, who was quite content drawing pictures in the mud. 

“Yes, angel?” She asked. 

“Yes, well, um . . . this . . . this is about us.” 

“Us?” 

“Precisely.” 

“Alright,” Miss Astoreth said in confusion. “Get on with it then.” 

“Look I know you’re with Tolgul-”

“And we are  _ very _ happy. Look, you’ve made your opinion on him loud and clear. I get it. I won’t hear it anymore.” Brother Francis swallowed back his defenses as to why he didn’t like Tolgul. That was not what this conversation was for. He was not about to run the train off its tracks.

“I know, I know,” Brother Francis said. “And I don’t want this to change anything, but I can’t keep it hidden anymore.” In his emotions, his Brother Francis disguise melted away. “I love you, Crowley,” Aziraphale said. “From the deepest pit of my heart to the moon and back again. I love you.” 

The confession threw Crowley off guard. So  _ that _ is why Aziraphale hated Tolgul so much. Not the beatings. He was jealous. 

“I understand you not wanting to change anything. I just couldn’t keep it a secret anymore.” 

“You’re right. This doesn’t change anything.” Crowley said. “You shouldn’t have told me to begin with.” 

Crowley regretted the words instantly but wasn’t about to let Aziraphale know that. He couldn’t just  _ leave _ Tolgul, no matter how much he suddenly wanted to with this new option opening up. An option he had settled in the idea that he would never get. Tolgul knew too much for Crowley to just leave him. Tolgul would report his findings immediately. Crowley and Aziraphale would both be ruined. 

***

“What’s this?” Crowley asked. 

“I want you to wear it around your neck,” Tolgul said. 

“But what is it?” Tolgul shrugged. Crowley examined the clear liquid that was in the bottle. He knew it wasn’t vodka. Tolgul loved the stuff too much to give it as a gift, especially one like this. He gasped. “Holy water.” Tolgul shrugged again.

“I never said that.” 

“You expect me to wear a suicide necklace?” Crowley said. “Forget it!” He handed it back. Tolgul refused to take it.

“It is a gift. A gift for you.”

“It’s a trap,” Crowley said.

“Only fitting for a traitor.” Crowley opened his mouth to defend himself but could think of nothing. By every technicality, he was a traitor to Hell. He was working to stop the thing demons had been working towards since the first had fallen. Not only that, but he was working with an  _ angel _ to do so.

“I won’t do it,” Crowley said.

“You will or I’ll-”

“Report me to Beelzebub,” Crowley said. “I know.” 

“So what’s your choice.” Crowley studied the bottle. It was made of glass. Ordinary glass. He looked closer. Tolgul hadn’t even bothered to put a miracle on it that would prevent it from being broken. That was probably the point.

He thought about his choices. Neither was safe. He could go along with Tolgul. This would prevent head office from getting involved. Momentarily at least. It would also give Tolgul even more power over him. One screw up and he could be splashed with the water around his neck. His entire existence would be dissolved. If he picked Aziraphale, he would surely get dissolved anyway. 

Crowley took a step away from Tolgul before he made his choice. The threw the bottle. As expected, the bottle shattered and some of the water splashed up on Tolgul. Tolgul couldn’t even scream before he was dissolved. 

“I choose Aziraphale,” Crowley said triumphantly. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hits and kudos mean the world to me. Comments fuel me into next week.   
> Find me on Tumblr @justanangelandhisdemon


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